Photo courtesy of Dacon

Demand for affordable suburban wet lab space is fueling the growth of a biotech shared services provider’s campus in Natick.

ABI-LAB’s newest facility at 3 Dain Road includes 10 build-to-suit dedicated lab suites for early-stage biotechs. The 10-year-old company offers a shared services model, designed to provide the basic research tools to small companies before they expand into traditional lab buildings.

“Since COVID, we have noticed quite a bit of westward movement of companies, because frankly there is an affordability factor,” said Gary Kaufman, ABI-LAB’s COO and a biotech investor.

Since 2022, ABI-LAB tenants have raised more than $3.3 billion in funding.

Tenants typically occupy approximately 40 feet of bench space, and employ five to 10 researchers, Kaufman said. Approximately 150 scientists and researchers occupy the campus on a typical day.

The three-building campus totaling 112,000 square feet is now 85-percent leased. All of the facilities provide specialized plumbing, frequent air exchange and backup power supply, along with chemical treatment for chemical discharges, Kaufman said.

The newest building was a ground-up development overseen by Dacon and contains 10 labs that opened in December. 

Most companies sign a 1-year lease for the build-to-suit lab suites, which range from 900 to 2,500 square feet, Kaufman said.